Over the past weeks, I've been writing an Orca paper and a Badger presentation and organising a series of talks. That seems pretty respectable. I've also worked, when I have had shifts, and done my exercising and the on-going chores. I don't feel ill or anything. My sleep isn't brilliant but it's been far worse. I've remembered some dreams. One about horses... there was a very thin and very bouncy foal... but can't recall much else.
So, on the face of it, thumbs up.
I keep on keeping on.
Today I wondered if keeping on is such a great idea. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean the whole Camus and Sisyphus thing. Just that, well, we humans keep on, despite the weather uncertainty, political tragicomedy, biodiversity tragedy. And surely it would be a whole lot better if we stopped?
Talking of stopping, and not quite the Sisyphus and Camus thing, and I have no idea why this invaded my mind, but, you know assisted dying? People say, "I don't agree with it: we shouldn't play God." I don't see them complaining about the use of medical technologies to extend life - when surely the "playing God" criticism is far more relevant there. Dialysis. Radiotherapy. Life support machines. Transplants. At least the Jehovah's Witnesses are consistent. Actually, maybe they just don't like blood transfusions? Oh, who knows.
Anyway. Lost perspectives.
I've been in contact with a woman in Sweden who is doing a PhD. She used to run a business offering education on trauma related to animals - how animals can be traumatised and how carers can be as well. Now she's thinking about how to encourage people to care for animals in planning decisions and so on. It was handy as the day before, I'd been to visit the county badger recorder and one of the many things he told me is that if you build tunnels or bridges or gates for badgers they will not use them unless the tunnel etc is right on their scent trail. Even a few feet away and they'll effectively not notice it. They follow their noses. It's like expecting people to use a scent-marked but otherwise invisible bridge.
As for me, I can only sense what's right under my nose at the moment. I'm stumbling on through the day-to-day.
Who has the better noses - badgers or dogs?